1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical card connector mounted onto a printed circuit board (PCB), and particularly to an electrical card connector having an improved shell.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the popularity of notebook computers increases, integrated circuit (IC) cards are becoming more common for increasing storage capacity or for interfacing the notebook computers with other devices. Electrical card connectors are commonly used to connect motherboards of the computers with the cards. Most current IC cards and card connectors conform to the standard of Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). Usually, the electrical card connector includes a shell which can electrically connect with the outer face of the IC card and perform electrostatic discharge (ESD) function.
Referring to FIG. 4, a conventional electrical card connector 1 includes an insulative housing 2, a plurality of terminals 3 received in the insulative housing 1, a grounding 4, a rejecter 5 and a shielding 6. The shielding 6 includes a body 66 and a pair of sidewalls 60 extending vertically from opposite sides of the body 60. The front of each side wall 60 defines an opening 62 and a spring arm 64 extending from a front peripheral edge of the opening 62 in a rearward direction into the opening 62 so that, when IC card is inserted into the electrical card connector 1, the free end 68 of the spring arm 64 can electrically connect the outer face of IC card to effectuate electrostatic discharge (ESD) function.
However, a large gap is present between the free end 68 of the spring arm 64 and a rear peripheral edge of the opening 60 such that the free end 68 of the spring arm 64 is easily hitched by something extending into the opening occasionally and becomes deformed. In this situation, the deformed spring arm 64 will not be able to perform its intended function.
Hence, an improved electrical card connector is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art card connector.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical card connector whose spring arm can electrically connect the outer face of IC card and perform ESD reliably.
An electrical card connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing having a base and a pair of side arms parallelly extending forward from two sides of the base, a plurality of terminals received in the base of the insulative housing, a shell covering the insulative housing and comprising a body and a pair of sidewalls extending vertically from opposite sides of the body, and an ejector mounted to one of the two sidewalls of the shell and a grounding plate. Each sidewallintegrally forms an opening and a stamped spring arm connected with two opposite peripheral edges of the opening and bent inward to extend as a crossbeam therebetween so as to electrically connect with IC card which inserts in the electrical card connector and perform ESD function.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.